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RPlog:StarOps Promotion Ceremony
It's not often that this man gets to come to the Reprisal. General Wedge Antilles has gotten his official poker face well in hand for this trip. There is a mild longing look as he passes the ranks of fighters, as if he'd rather be in the cockpit of one of those battle-scarred X-Wings than in the monkey suit the Republic has him wearing today, the dress uniform of the fighter pilots under his command. Of course, his has more fruit salad than anyone else. His gaze sweeps the assembled pilots and support staff, and there is a thought visibly percolating across his face. 'Young, so young... were we ever that young?' Taking the place he's taken so often before, he turns smartly on his heel and faces the assembly. "At ease," he says, his voice unamplified, yet managing to reach to the back easily enough. "We are here, once more, to recognize the talents and abilities of those selfless pilots and support staff whose bravery and loyalty to the simple notion that people should be free is such a powerful thing that it must be fought for." He glances at his aide-de-camp, the one with all the new shiny rank pins in various cases, his brows rising as he squints to read the first name. "Flight Officer Kyrin Sh'vani of Chylene, please come forward." There's even a little taped X on the floor in front of him. Crystal sits quietly next to Gene....and just simply watches. Captain Stone walks shortly behind the General and amongst other dignitary staff present for the ceremony. The Captain peers at the lined fighters that had been arranged for the special event noting their cleanliness. The support crews with out a doubt had worked hard to turn the Fighter Hangar into a place worthy of the ceremony. Captain Stone, and other Flag Officers do not follow the General onto stage. They instead walk to the front row and stand at attention. Once put at ease, the senior officers sit down in the front row to observe the event. Kyrin moves forward when her name is called, looking mildly surprised to have heard it. However, she doesn't waste time, presenting herself at attention as tall as her form can do so, smartly saluting the General with something like mild awe on her blue-skinned face. "Reporting as ordered, sir," she says gravely, waiting until the salute is matched before lowering her hand. Second Flight Officer Kesander Beysarus seems tempted to applaud when Kyrin's name is called, but the Corellian restrains himself. Nevertheless, he does look quite pleased with the recognition now being bestowed upon his Ghost Squadron comrade. Once the 'At Ease' command was given, Gene takes his seat next to Crystal. Remaining quiet for now. Crystal stands at ease then......and just watches. Hase watches with interest now but his expression is well hidden behind his emotionless gaze. Elena has purposely chosen a seat between two officers she does not know. She watches the proceedings with an expression of interest just a bit too bright to be genuine. Shaerlati, having lubricated himself with an application of bottled retail ethanol, is present for the proceedings. His bearing is still there, however, and he is truly solemn about the ceremony. Mitali is seated with a few of his fellow Beta-Shift techs, looking quite comfortable and pleased to be there despite picture-perfect posture and a slightly unfamiliar dress uniform. He's content to be a quiet observer. Wedge matches the salute with the long-standing practice of having spent half of his life doing so. However, the appearance of the winged pilot gives him pause in lowering that salute. "For your service to the New Republic, I award you the rank of Second Lieutenant," he intones as he switches out Kyrin's current rank insignia for the butter bar of her new rank. "May you fly long and well with the Ghost Squadron," he adds, a little bit of variation from the standard proceedings, his eyes twinkling with the pun as he reaches out to shake her hand in congratulations before beckoning her to return to her place. "Second Flight Officer Gene Malantean. Front and center." Once again Kesander looks terribly pleased that yet another of his Squadron mates is being recognized with advancement. "Looks like he'll owe me two drinks now," says the X-Wing driver to himself softly with a bit of a tacit chuckle. Kyrin's face is rather shiny as she accepts the accolade and hesitantly smiles at Antilles. Does one smile at a general? She quickly salutes the second time, accepts the handshake, and walks back to her spot in the ranks, her tail flicking back and forth. Now the smile is there. A big stupid smile, but a smile there nonetheless. Her wings rustle as she tightens their folding across her back. Fortunately, NR Mil protocol forbids the Chyleni bow thing at these events, or she'd be seriously embarrassing the general (or herself) with one of the more elaborate ones. Gene applauds for Kyrin. Whistling and cheering. But then he hears his name. blinks, then looks to Crystal. Rising he heads for the aisle and then forward. Stopping at the 'X' after Kyrin leaves it and passes him. Giving her a smile and a thumbs up as he passes her. Once at the 'X' He stands at attention, but then snaps the General a salute. "Second Flight Officer Malantean, reporting sir." Again awaiting the return salute, before lowering his hand. Captain Stone remains in his seat observing the ceremony unfold. It had brought the Captain great pleasure watching the future leaders of tomorrow being promoted in rank and responsibility. A gentle clap is given when Kyrin is presented with her rank. Using this opportunity, Captain Stone shares a few quiet words the Marine Colonel beside him. The general breaks character of 'senior officer' long enough to grin at the enthusiasm of the pilots. Antilles then lets his face fall back into the officially-acceptable expression of an officer handing out the presents. His salute to Gene is sharp and crisp yet again. "For service to the New Republic," he states, switching out the pilot's rank symbol for the insignia of the second lieutenant. "I hereby award you the rank of Second Lieutenant, with the rights and privileges... and pay scale... that honor entails." Again, a little variation. He finds it helps keep things fresh for both him and the pilots. Just a little touch of personalization. "Another Ghost, hmm?" he asks, mostly to himself as he salutes a second time and then offers a hand to shake. Once Gene is done with his side, he calls out the next name. "Second Flight Officer Kesander Beysarus, please step forward." Gene blinks yet again. Taking the pins, and shakes the General's hand. Another salute, and turns to return to his seat. Looking a bit surprised, shocked.. Definitely not expected. Smiling at Crystal, but remaining quiet. The Corellian blinks with a bit of surprise when he hears his own name called. With a grin and a 'thumbs up' sign of encouragement to both Gene and Kyrin, Kesander makes his way into the aisle and moves from thence smartly towards the 'x' that stands before General Antilles. Coming to a halt on the prescribed spot, the X-Wing Driver comes to attention and snaps a crisp salute. "Second Flight Officer Kesander Beysarus, reporting as ordered, sir." The Pilot's eyes meet those of General Antilles, not in a confrontational fashion, but to convey the respect that he holds for one who is a legend to say the least among those who fly starfighters in the defense of the Republic. Hase actually grins towards Gene as he accepts the pins and then claps as he walks back to position. Crystal smiles and claps for Gene....giving him a playful salute as he returns to his spot. Wedge's eyes alight on someone, and he nods to himself. A Corellian. A knowing grin plays across his features, that ever-so-innocent sort of knowing grin that's particular to natives of that planet. "For service to the new Republic," the general intones, his voice taking on a note of pomposity that's clearly daring Kesander to react, "I hereby award you the rank of Flight Officer. Please don't spend it all in one place." The pay, of course. With a hint of mischief in his eyes as he switches the pilot's rank insignia, he raises his hand in a second salute before offering it to shake. Once shaken, he calls out the next name. "Second Flight Officer Crystal Keldahoff. Front and center." The calmly alert expression fades from Elena's face as Kesander receives his award. Her lips part and her brow furrows, as if she has been unexpectedly hurt. She looks down at the hands folded in her lap, even as the rest of the crowd applauds. Kesander takes the pins, and shakes the General's hand. "Yes sir, thank you sir. I'm sure the obligatory post-ceremony drinks won't absorb all of the pay raise. Thank you again sir." Another salute, and Corellian returns to his seat. Looking a bit bemused, if restrainedly so by the encounter. Crystal stops clapping upon hearing her name. She looks up to the stage and then back to Gene before stepping out of her place and up to the stage, trying SO hard not to trip! She stops next to General Antilles. "Flight Officer Keldahoff Reporting as ordered sir!" Gene applauds Kesander as he receives his pins. When he passes back by, he holds up two fingers on one hand, one, on the other. And then Crystal is called and he turns to smile at her as well. Giving her a bit of a nudge. Antilles' gaze goes down a little bit to meet that of Crystal as he returns her salute, hard-pressed not to smile at the briskness of her greeting. "For service to the New Republic," he states calmly, "I hereby award you with the rank of Flight Officer. The drinks are on him," he adds, pointing at Kesander's retreating back with one finger as he swaps out her rank toys. He's gotta make this fun somehow. The left corner of his mouth quirks with a bit of impudent nature as he salutes Crystal a second time and then offers his hand to shake before calling the next one up. "Second Flight Officer Hase Stargazer, please come forward." Crystal salutes quietly with a small smile. "Yes sir! Thank you Sir!" She says before giving a glance to Kesander. "I'll remember that, sir." She says before saluting again, taking the pins and walking her way back to her place next to gene. Hase wakes up from his daze or something and then as he sees a few other staring his way he realizes it's him they are waiting for. So he starts to walk all the way up the the x and salutes. " Hase Stargazer, present." as he stands seeming with a total embarrassed face and then he seems to not be taking a breath after his little salute. The general's gaze sweeps the squadrons at ease in front of them, spending some time reviewing their support staff as well, noting even in his brief glance a couple of things he's going to mention to his subordinates later on. Nothing major, and in fact, one of the things he found seems to have pleased him. All this as he then looks toward Hase and matches the man's salute. "For your service to the New Republic, I award you the rank of Flight Officer." Once more exchanging the rank pins, he salutes Stargazer once more and does the handshaking thing before moving on and using his someone's in deep poodoo parade ground voice, "CAPTAIN MABRU! Here." He points at the X on the floor. "Now." Having been sitting up near the front of the group and humming slightly in waiting, not really expecting anything, Captain Johmac Mabru gives a bit of a jerk whenever his name is boomed. Er. Standing up and straightening his dress uniform jacket, he proceeds up front, rubbing his nose slightly and coming to a stop on the X. "Captain Johmac Mabru, reporting as ordered, sir." he states, crisply and cooly, blinking a little bit. Kyrin blinks and almost takes a step back at that sharp voice, her wings arching up as if the alerts had rung out. Fortunately, before she smacks anyone upside the head with those sails, she realizes, and with a great darkening of her face as she blushes, she refurls her wings and tries to look like a hole in space. Hase salutes and seems stunned and then turns and heads back, still looking as if he can't believe what he has just seeing. Wrista just looks quietly, unremarkably amused, whereas most of the ceremony, she's simply been politely quiet with occasional bouts of cheerful applause for people. Who knows what the rest of the marines have been getting up to, but she's been quiet. Wedge skewers Johmac with a gaze that could bore a hole in the thickest bulkhead the Reprisal has got. "Dis/grace/ful," he states in a voice that could rip the paint off an X-Wing. "You are this ship's Wing Commander," he continues, looking like he's building up to a major public yelling-at, "And you have the audacity to wear /those/?!?" One accusing finger points at Mabru's captain's bars. "Have some decency, man! We cannot have this at /all/!" Reaching forward, he plucks the bars off Johmac's uniform and swiftly replaces them with the oak leaf. "Attention on deck, Ghost Squadron!" he bellows. "MAJOR Mabru is buying the first /two/ rounds for you lot after this little party is over." One finger swirls to include both the 12 Ghost pilots but also their support crews. Then he salutes Johmac with a wide grin. "Congratulations," he adds sincerely. "At ease again, Ghosts." Mostly smirking and trading glances at each other, though the Marines like Cadet Shaerlati do make up for their attitude by lending extra oomph to the applauds. The pilots /are/ brothers in arms to be applauded, after all. But also to be cheated at cards, since they're fleet and all that. Crystal claps loudly for Major Mabru....laughing the WHOLE time! Elena only smiles at the General's antics. Something is indeed wrong. Kyrin's expression is at odds with the reactions of her fellow Ghosts. While there is a smile for his promotion, something keeps her back from joining the festivities wholeheartedly. However, she does flash him a respectful nod when he looks in her direction. Gene claps and cheers. Whistling loudly. But as soon as the 'At Ease' order is given, he becomes silent once more. Hase still looks a little stunned and the claps as he hears others clap and then notices Johmac and then it dawns on him. He grins then and claps with more vigor. Behind the pilots of the Ghosts, a number of their support staff, so often overlooked at these things, get to benefit from their boss's general-enforced largesse, and there are a couple looking /quite/ pleased about this. Antilles squints at the next case his aide opens, and a smile permeates his expression. "Oh, goodie," he murmurs before calling the next pilot forward. "Flight Cadet Kegren'Te, front and center." Nothing anywhere near as embarrassing as he gives the Cadet her wings after a salute. "For your service to the Republic, I hereby award you not only the rank of Second Flight Officer, but your wings," he adds with a bit of pride. Definitely his favorite bit. "Fly well with your squadron," he adds formally, doing the salute-and-shake thing again before calling forth, "Second Flight Officer Seth Skyler." The Falcon driver is given a long and hard look for a few seconds. He can pick out the enthusiastic ones. His salute is given, then the swapping of the rank pins. "I hereby award you the rank of Flight Officer," he states calmly after the usual thing. A second salute and a shaken hand, and the last case is peered at. "Flight Cadet Kensle Gravitz," is summoned and presented with his wings. "For your service to the Republic, I award you the rank of ... wait. Flight Officer?" he asks and then turns to his aide, who nods and murmurs something about paperwork getting lost and bravery against Imperial walkers at Cochran. Wedge's face falls at the mention of that lost planet, but he nods. "Yes. Flight Officer. Good work on Cochran," he adds softly as he turns back with another nod. Saluting Kensle and then shaking his hand, the new officer is dismissed back to his peers. Gene claps as each new Cadet gets his/her wings and other promotions. Seth and Kegren as they pass also get a gr4in and nod. Kensle more whistling and cheering. Kesander applauds along with those around him. Particularly for the cadet getting her wings. Hase claps and nods as the others get their wings and promotions. Once more sweeping his gaze over the StarOps personnel, Wedge allows a look of sheer pride appear on his face. "Let's hope I don't have to wait so long before I get to come back and do this all over again," he says with a fond grin. "And believe me when I say I miss my own days as a front-line pilot." And he does. "I want you all to look after each other and continue to uphold the finest standards of the New Republic military. I believe in our collective ability to get this job done and to free the galaxy from the Empire once and for all." And as his aide shouts, "Attention on deck!" and the ranks begin snapping-to, Wedge Antilles offers his own salute to his people. "Diiiiiimissed!" The Corellian general adds his on final words. "Thank you. And well done." With that, he steps away from his spot and begins to make his way to the highest-ranked folks, the flag officers, to chatter as the ranks begin to disperse. Crystal finally belches loudly as she's dismissed. "UGH! I've been holding that for an HOUR!" Mitali is quick to his feet and attention at the General's order, and equally quick to relax and finally crack a grin as dismissal is given. He exchanges a few quick, quiet words with his shiftmates before they disperse back towards the main hangar, leaving Mitali to peer around at the assemblage and rub his hands together, evidently trying to find a certain face in the crowd. Shaerlati rises to attention, returning the General's salute. A handful of the Marines, not very skilled in ethanol lubrication, cry out "HOO-RAH!!" and are summarily shushed by their comrades a little too eagerly. "Ghosts!" Says Kesander aloud and with a genial and comradely enthusiasm. "To the Very End!" Pausing a for a beat to grin at his Squadron mates and others of the Reprisals personnel near by. "In this case, the very end is the Lounge! And as a bunch of us have been promoted we're paying. Or at least I am. And Techs drink first for keeping my X-Wing flying. Come on then. Last one in's a Bantha's behind." And with this, the Corellian heads in the direction of the turbo lift. Gene rises but pauses part way up as Crystal leaves her usual, lasting impression on the crowd. Chuckling and shaking his head he continues the rest of the way up. Hearing Kesander and grins. "Well, I guess since the Major is buying. Other then the two I owe Kesander and a few others I guess I might as well drop off my pins and congregate with the others in the lounge. You coming?" Looking to her. Wrista stands, quietly resettling her beret on her head as the crowd is dismissed and spares a tolerant grin for the expected rowdiness of her fellow Marines. She's gotten used to it; she just usually likes to be a bit more restrained, is all. It fits well with her 'tiny little marine' thing. With her usual dignity, Kyrin states calmly, "I think we will be very drunk very soon." Unfurling her wings and shaking them out briefly to ease cramped muscles, something she does the second she's out of her cockpit normally, she glances at the techs. "I owe a drink to Lianna," she remarks mostly to herself. Elena remains seated. Her eyes rove listlessly around the room, and pause to rest only for a moment on the Ghost Squadron. She quickly looks away and massages the bridge of her nose. Aha! Mitali fishes a datapad out of his jacket and heads for Elena, seeming quite pleased for having spotted her in amongst the crowd. It only takes a few steps for her demeanor to dawn on him, though, and with an inquisitive tilt of his head, he approaches and eyes her worriedly. "Ma'am? Everything okay?" Gene nods and heading out. A glance back to the General, and grins. "Before I'm done with my time in the service. I want to be that good." He murmurs to Crystal as they depart. Crystal snickers to Gene. "you and me both, Gene. you and me both." She says wrapping her arm around Gene and gives him a noogie as they head for the Turbolift. Hase watches as everyone leaves and heads towards the lounge to celebrate. He stand looking down at what he was presented and then sighs a slight and holds them closely in his fist.' He looks around the room and looks onto others and slowly starts to head towards the lounge. Though he seems not much n the celebrating mood at the moment.